HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
The 1927 Bergonian, downtown Seattle's oldest continuously operating hotel, with two reported resident spirits: an elderly long-term tenant of Room 1120 and a playful prankster ghost on the upper floors.
405 Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98101
Research updated September 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$$
Standard downtown hotel room rates; Oliver's Lounge and Andaluca restaurant open to non-guests.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Fully accessible historic hotel with elevators.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1927 · Oldest continuously operating hotel in downtown Seattle · Original 'Bergonian' name combined owner Stephen Berg's surname with The Oregonian newspaper · Independently family-owned since 1973 under the Dempcy family
The Mayflower Park Hotel opened in 1927 as the Bergonian Hotel, built during a period of substantial growth and prosperity in downtown Seattle. Original owner Stephen Berg named his new hotel by combining his surname with The Oregonian, the Portland newspaper he admired. The Bergonian was considered one of the finest hotels in Seattle at the time, with 240 guest rooms over twelve stories.
The hotel passed through several owners over its first half-century, and by the early 1970s had been effectively abandoned and was in need of substantial repairs. In 1973, Marie and Birney Dempcy purchased the property, renamed it the Mayflower Park, and undertook a phased restoration. The Dempcy family has retained ownership and management since, making the Mayflower Park one of the few remaining family-owned independent hotels in downtown Seattle.
The hotel's location at 405 Olive Way places it directly adjacent to Westlake Center and the Westlake light-rail station. The ground floor includes Oliver's Lounge, a classic martini bar that has won regional 'best martini' awards, and Andaluca, a Mediterranean restaurant. The Mayflower Park holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating hotel in downtown Seattle.
The hotel celebrated its centennial era with a recognized place in Seattle's historic-hotel community, alongside the Sorrento (1909) on First Hill and the Arctic Club (1917) in Pioneer Square.
Sources
According to Seattle Terrors and FrightFind coverage, the Mayflower Park's primary haunting is attributed to an elderly man said to have lived in Room 1120 during the hotel's Bergonian era. Guests assigned the room report a strong sensation of not being alone, with several reportedly requesting room changes mid-stay. Reported phenomena include the feeling of being watched, small objects shifting in the room, and a vague sense of presence. The story is widely repeated across ghost-tour and regional-travel sources but lacks documentary anchoring to a specific named person — no death certificate, news article, or hotel record is cited identifying the man by name.
A second reported entity is described as a 'trickster' or playful ghost on the upper floors, said to move small items, knock on doors, and otherwise create minor mischief. According to the regional-travel site Trending Northwest, staff have learned to attribute small unexplained events to this presence rather than to mechanical or human causes.
The Mayflower Park has not officially confirmed or promoted the haunting stories, and the hotel's own history page focuses on its architecture, ownership lineage, and dining venues rather than paranormal lore. The hotel is regularly included on Seattle's 'most haunted hotels' lists alongside the Sorrento and Arctic Club, though the documentary record for its specific ghosts is thinner than for those peer venues.
Notable Entities
Book a room at the 1927 Bergonian, downtown Seattle's oldest continuously operating hotel; Room 1120 on the eleventh floor is the focal point of the hotel's most-cited ghost story.
Visit the restored 1927 lobby and Oliver's Lounge, the hotel's classic martini bar; non-guests may tour public spaces.
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